UCLA's Love says he's headed to the NBA

LOS ANGELES -- UCLA's Kevin Love is NBA-bound.

Less than two weeks after leading the Bruins to the Final Four, the All-American freshman announced Thursday that he'll skip his final three college seasons and enter the NBA draft.

"I feel like I'm in the right spot to take my game to the next level," Love said Thursday. "Since I was 5 years old this has been a dream of mine."

Love made his announcement at a news conference while sitting between his father, former NBA player Stan Love, and UCLA coach Ben Howland.

The 6-foot-10 Love said he did not immediately plan to hire an agent, which would temporarily allow to keep playing for UCLA.

"I want to maintain my eligibility in case something happens," Love said. He later added that it's "definitely a possibility" that something could prompt him to change his mind.

Love led the Bruins in scoring (17.5 points) and rebounds (10.6) on the way to a 35-win season and a trip to national semifinals, where UCLA lost to Memphis.

Love impressed many with his strength -- in practice, he made full-court shots with two-handed chest passes. He was known for his sharp outlet passes, court smarts and leadership qualities.

Scouts have projected Love to be a top-10 pick in the June 26 draft, Howland said.

"We fully expect that he'll be a very high draft pick," Howland said. "We're behind his decision 100 percent."

Love said he spent the two weeks since the Final Four getting advice from Howland, former UCLA coach John Wooden and teammates in a similar spot.

Last week, Love returned home to Oregon to mull over his choices with his family. The nephew of Beach Boys member Mike Love called his year at UCLA was "the best of my life" both on the court and around campus, but said the NBA was too much to resist.

"If you have a chance, you have to take it," he said.